Tallamore top trotter at Vernon Downs

Tallamore became the winningest trotter of the season at Vernon Downs with a 1:56.2 triumph in Thursday night’s eighth event.

With Jimmy Whittemore doing the teaming for trainer Lonny Hale, Tallamore took the field to the half in :57.1, surrendered the lead to Theater Production for three furlongs, then rallied in the final eighth to score by a nose over the fast-closing Conway Maid. 

The hard-fought tally was the second in a row, fifth at the meet and sixth this season for the 4-year-old daughter of Garland Lobell, who also etched a new win record. Seven trotters had been tied at four wins before Hale’s charge came through for owners Joe Burns and Kathleen Sheridan and raised her lifetime winnings to more than $66,100.

Hale’s pacing pupil, Artachebythenumber, also steered by Whittemore, produced Thursday’s fastest mile, a 1:55.2 front-striding score in the $5,460 ninth race, to earn her fourth Vernon victory of 2007. Robert Siemski owns the 6-year-old daughter of Artiscape, who sports career winnings of more than $83,000.

Whittemore is tops at the Downs in driving doubles after 42 programs with 12, while Hale’s two-bagger gives him a 28-27 edge over Dave Dewhurst in training victories at the meet.

First Nation, owned by trainer Judy Blaun and John Sixt, lowered his season’s record for 2-year-old pacing geldings at the meet to 1:56.2 with a gate-to-wire triumph in Thursday’s third test.

In securing his second score in five career appearances, the altered son of Allamerican Native trimmed two-fifths of a second off his previous mark, set on June 16. (Vernon Downs)

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